Metal perforating machine



July 2.1, 1936- A. v. PICKERING ET AL 2,048,197

METAL PERFORATING MACHINE Original Filed Jail. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l A l llll lllrll.

y 1936- A. v. PICKERING ET AL 2,048,197

METAL PERFORATING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y A. v. PICKERING ET AL METAL PERFORATING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE ME AL PERFORATING MACHINE Albert V. Pickering and Frank W. Willis, Fitch- .burg, Mass, assignors to Multi-Products, Inc., Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 18, 1932, Serial No. 587,306 Renewed November 14, 1935 1 Claim. (01. 33 -25) This invention relates to a machine for perforating sheetmetal for the purpose of forming designs for use on signs, stencils and various other purposes.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a pantograph arrangement by which an operator can move a pointer over a pattern and the work will be moved in accordance with the motions of the pointer to bring a cutter, operating 10 at a single point, over the various parts of the sheet to reproduce the design traced by the pointer; to provide asimple and sufliciently strong arrangement for so moving the work; to provide a table on which the pattern is located and having a part for supporting the sheet and a perforation or die to allow the cutting tool to pass through the work at a stationary point on the table, thus securing a die cutting action; to provide means for easily disconnecting the motor or other source of power from the operating cutter, and to provide improvements in the various features of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a plan of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing parts of the frame in side elevation, as indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 1.

The invention is shown in a form in which the table I0 is mounted at a suitable height on a series of posts II with cross pieces I2, the same constituting the main part of the frame. This table is of sulficient area to support a pattern M in any desired position. This pattern is secured to the wooden table by thumb-tacks or other fastening devices on the table and is provided with a design l5 which is shown in the present instance as representing the capital letter E. On the table is a comparatively thick metallic sheet l3 on which the work in the form of a sheet of metal I5 is adapted to rest and to slide as will appear.

The pattern [5 is intended to be traced along the lines which are to be out into the work l6 by a pointer I! having a handle by which the workman operates it. This pointer is mounted on an arm Is to which it is rigidly connected. To this arm is secured a movable rod l9 extending along the machine in the direction of its length and over the table. The rod is supported to move on the table top by a slide 29.

On this rod is fixed a collar 20 and a brace or tie 2| passes from that to the arm l8 near the pointer at an angle. The parts I8, l9 and 2| constitute a rigid triangular frame and the movements of the pointer of course are imparted to this triangle and it necessarily moves with the pointer. Pivotally connected with the rod [9 are two or more rods 22, these being connected by vertical pivots 23 so that these rods will be capable of swinging about two axes at right angles to'each other. These rods are also provided with vertical pivots 24 at their opposite ends. By these pivots the rods are connected with pivot pieces 25 pivotally mounted at the upper ends of links 27 which are pivoted on a rod 28 extending throughout the length of the machine at the bottom. This rod 28 is mounted to turn in stationary bearings supported by the framework near the bottom of the machine. Connected with the rod 28 or the links 21 are a series of counterweights 3B for normally holding the whole pivoted structure back slightly so that there will be some resistance to the motions which the operator imparts to the pointer ll.

On account of the pivotal mountings in this pantograph frame, it will be seen that the pointer can be moved to any point on the pattern l4, that is, in a plane, and this whole frame will have to move with it. Furthermore, the rod I9 is reciprocated to move in parallelism with itself at all times and cannot get into a skewed position. The rods 22 can move upwardly as shown in Fig. 2 and sideways about their pivots, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit of the necessary movements. On the rod l9 beyond this pantograph frame are a pair of brackets 3| each having a base 32 and a movable clamping plate 33 together with a screw 34 for forcing the clamping blade down to grip the edge of the work Hi. It will be seen therefore that the work moves with the pointer and necessarily has a parallel motion.

Supported on two posts is a motor 4| or other source of power.

The cutter shaft 46 is mounted in a head 41 cutter and keeps it from shifting or flexing while the cutter'is operating. The table lfi is provided with a die or metallic thimble 12 for receiving the cutter. The top surface of this is rounded and it just engages the sheet It so as to furnish a solid backing for it'at the point of cutting,

the cutter being shaped with vertical sides, it

will cut out pieces of sheet metal or 0ther mate- 7 rial and force them down through this member 12, thus constituting a die cutting apparatus.

The chips fall down through an opening 13 in thetableclll.

7 It willbe seen therefore that the operator can manipulate the pointer I! by hand and will at the same time move the sheet l6 exactly in parallelism at all times and that, the'cutter works at all-times at-a single spot so that the design followed by the pointer I! will be reproduced in the sheet inthe form of a line of perforations through it. As the cutter is reciprocated so rapidly and the workpmoved so slowly, they will constitute a'continuous unbroken line. All the move ments of the pointer are reproduced by the sheet and therefore the design is reproduced accurately.

When it is desired to startthe cutter, the treadle 52 is depressed and, whenever it is desiredto stop,

it can then be released and the spring 51 will withdraw the pin 59 so as to disconnect the clutch This is a very simple machine which reducesthe time takento cut out any of a design'in a sheet of metal or other material. 1 I

Although We have illustrated and described only one form of the invention, we are aware of the fact'that modifications canbe made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claim. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein 7 shown and described, but What we do claim is: In a pantograph for a cutting machine, the

combination with a table adapted to support a design to be copied and a movable sheet in which the design is to be reproduced, of a pointer adapted to be moved by hand over the design, a member resting freely on the table to which-member the pointer and sheet are rigidly fixed to move therewith, parallel rods pivoted to 'saidr member so as to move vertically and horizontally-relative to said member, and an equal number of parallel links. pivoted below the table top on a horizontal axis and pivoted to therod's so as to move ver-" ticallyand horizontally relatively thereto, whereby said member will be constrained to move parallel to the movement of the pointer.

' ALBERT'VQ PICKERING.

FRANK W. WILLIS. 

